Moviemaker Mikhalkov believes Opposition Coordination Council has no future

Nov 25 2012

RBTH

Interfax

Nikita Mikhalkov, a prominent Russian moviemaker and chairman of the Russian Union of Cinematographers, does not believe the Opposition Coordination Council has a future but fears a possible revolution in Russia.

"If this was really serious [the opposition activities], they would not only want real power and publicity but would also offer a program that could change the country for the better," Mikhalkov told Interfax.

He cited a well-known phrase attributed to Russian Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin addressing the opposition: "You need a great upheaval, but we need a great Russia."

"If you rephrase it, it'll turn out that a great upheaval is for those who have where to go, but a great Russia is for those who want to live here," he said.

Mikhalkov ridiculed the elections to the Opposition Coordination Council and the number of those who cast their ballots.

"Sixty thousand people are a lot for Finland. But 60,000 for Russia is, for example, a stadium. So a stadium of people elected Navalny. You know, it's like a theater for your own. Imagine someone working in a morgue, and he is used to seeing corpses around. And therefore, when he walks outdoors, he is stunned that there are live people out there, too. It's the same here," he said.

At the same time, Mikhalkov suggested that "a revolution is always possible in Russia."

"I just think that everything needs to be taken seriously. Moviemaking, relationships, life, food, health, learning, and work - everything. If you miss the point of no return, the consequences can be unpredictable. Moreover, I am absolutely sure that anarchy in Russia is more terrible than any government, however cruel it might be, because this country is so huge," he said.

"We see this from what happened during the Civil War. It's just incredible what people did to their brothers. It's unimaginable that this is done not by Nazis, not by foreign enemies but by citizens of the same country. This is horrible! To be honest, I fear this. Therefore, I think close attention should be paid to this," he said.